Transitioning to a clean economy which relies on renewable, or carbon-free electricity generation is essential for avoiding the worst of climate change. But what role does the public play in this transformation, and what forms of participation do ordinary citizens have at their disposal to take part?

That’s what Jake Barnes and Sabine Hielscher looked at in their joint research project called “Public Participation for Energy Transitions.” In our conversation about their seed-funded project, we discuss why public participation is valuable when it comes to the current energy transition, the myriad forms such participation can take, and the opportunities and challenges that may come from the current energy crisis facing Europe. 

With Dr. Jake Barnes, Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, and Dr. Sabine Hielscher, Institut für ökologische Wirtschaftsforschung (IÖW).